History U.S. - Fun Activity - Translating 1950s Slang

Fifties Slang! Whether it's for a history unit on 1950s culture, or for an English unit on change in language, students love working with this list of slang speech from the 1950s. This lesson combines two great student-centered classroom activities designed for fun partner-work, requiring almost no preparation on the part of the teacher. (Just photocopy the handouts and you're ready to go!) The activities can be done together, on the same day or during consecutive class periods, depending on the speed at which your students work. Both activities can stand alone, however, so they can be done independently of one another if you prefer. This package includes: double-sided alphabetical glossary of slang expressions from the 1950s (some of which are still used today and some of which have disappeared from usage); worksheet for group analysis and discussion of slang expressions and the changes they have undergone over time; original 1-page dialogue written in 1950s slang; and worksheet for translation activity, requiring students to use slang glossary to translate dialogue into today's speech. This is one of those activities I look forward to each year because the students have SO MUCH FUN with it and it's SO EASY for the teacher to supervise. *For best results, let them work with partners on both activities.